Live: Argentina v Belgium

Full Time

Final Score: Argentina 1 – 0 Belgium
Goal Scorer: 8' Gonzalo Higuain (ARG)

90+5' THE FINAL WHISTLE!! ARGENTINA INTO THE SEMI-FINALS!! La Albicelestes move to the last four of the World Cup for the first time since 1990. They were by far the better team and a solid show to book a semi-finals berth. They now await their opponent for the semis, which will be decided after Costa Rica fight it out with the Dutch in the last quarter-final match later on.

90+4'    MESSI BREAKS AWAY from the Belgian backline for a one-on-one with Courtois. The 22-year old goalkeeper comes out on top to cover a slick chip from Messi.

90+1'    Five minutes of stoppage time to be played on at the Estádio Nacional.

Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) fights for the ball with Belgium's Daniel Van Buyten (L) and Dries Mertens during their quarter-finals match. Reuters

90'

       Zabaleta and Perez collides to fall back to stay down. The stoppage of play is met with boos from the crowd in the stands.

85'       De Bruyne drills a free ball goalway but a deflection take it wide for a corner. The corner is wasted.

81'     Argentina substitution. Gonzalo Higuain, the goalscorer, is coming off. Fernando Gago replaces him.

Higuain has looked very different today. His energetic approach to the game was filled with intent and he carved opportunities to break into the Belgian lines. Good sign for Argentina.

80'       The Diables Rogues must come up a goal fast to keep themselves in the fight as we enter the last ten minutes before stoppage time.

75'       Belgium substitution. Eden Hazard spell in the match ends, if not in the World Cup, as he is replaced by Nacer Chadli.

74'       First Argentina booking. Lukas Bigla is cautioned with a yellow card for obstructing Jan Vertonghen.

71'      Argentina substitution. Palacio on, Lavezzi off.

68'     Second booking of the match. Alderwereld picks up his second yellow card in the competition for a reckless challenge on Biglia. The Belgian will miss their next match, if Belgium are to proceed.

64'       Twenty second half minutes have gone by. Belgium have fared a little better so far in this half. But still lack clear chances.

60'       Double substitution for Belgium. Lukaku on for Origi, Mertens on for Mirallas.

59'      Lavezzi angles into the front of the Belgian area and taken off the ball and the ground by Fellaini. Lavezzi seems in pain as he stays down. Fellaini took the ball off from the Argentine. No fouls.

Lavezzi does not get up and requires on-field medical attention. He’s taken off the pitch for further treatment.

55'      HIGUAAIIIINNN! DENIED BY THE BAR! He screams into the Belgian box from the right and pounds the ball goalwards to hit the top bar. Would’ve been a fascinating strike!

53'       First booking of the match. Eden Hazard is shown a yellow as he leaves out a foot to bring down Lucas Biglia. Hazard has been a disappointment so far in the game.

49'      A quiet start to the second half. Only a Messi free kick that evaded everyone in the Beligum area.

46'      Argentina get the second half underway.

Half Time

45+2'   The referee blows for half time. The game goes into break with both teams cautiously checking out for the half time regrouping.

45'      Two minutes added on to the half’s play.

42'        CHANCE! Jan Vertonghen has some left foot on him. He whips another good cross into the area that is met by a Kevin Mirallas header that flew just inches wide. Most perilous attack by the Red Devils as of yet.

40'        Five minutes left in regulation first half.

36'       Toby Alderweireld puts in a cross. Kevin de Bruyne from Belgium tries to head the ball to a team mate, but it's intercepted by an opponent player. Daniel van Buyten heads the ball back across goal. Sergio Romero comes out of his goal and claims the ball.

34'       The game is restarted. Marouane Fellaini from Belgium takes away the legs of Martin Demichelis and it's a free kick.

Argentina's Angel Di Maria is substituted off after picking up an injury during their quarter-finals match against Belgium. Reuters

33'      

The game is stopped again. Enzo Perez replaces injured Angel Di Maria.

32'       Jose Maria Basanta puts in a cross. Vincent Kompany relieves the pressure with a clearance. Ezequiel Garay charges Divock Origi from behind.

31'        The game restarts with Angel Di Maria coming back onto the field.

30'         Di Maria is taken off the field to receive medical treatment.

29'       The game is stopped as Angel Di Maria is down injured and receives medical attention on the field.

28'       A player from Belgium takes a long throw into the opponent's box. Ezequiel Garay relieves the pressure with a clearance. Lionel Messi from Argentina delivers a pin-point cross. A shot by Angel Di Maria is blocked.

27'       Kevin de Bruyne puts in a cross. Jose Maria Basanta relieves the pressure with a clearance.

26'       Lionel Messi dribbles past his opponents. Kevin Mirallas from Belgium clears the danger with a good tackle. A long range shot from Kevin de Bruyne is blocked by the keeper and goes back into play.

24'      The home team have had 52% of possession compared to the away team's 48%.

23'       Toby Alderweireld puts in a cross. Marouane Fellaini from Belgium is ruled offside. Divock Origi from Belgium is ruled offside.

22'       Angel Di Maria from Argentina passes the ball in the box, but the keeper comes out and claims it.

20'       Vincent Kompany crosses the ball into the box from the free kick. Jose Maria Basanta relieves the pressure with a clearance. Toby Alderweireld from Belgium crosses the ball but it is nowhere near the intended target. Vincent Kompany sends a long ball upfield. Goal kick for Argentina.

19'        Lionel Messi from Argentina takes away the legs of Axel Witsel and it's a free kick.

18'        Kevin de Bruyne from Belgium swings in the corner. Daniel van Buyten from Belgium directs his header wide of goal. Goal kick for Argentina.

17'        Jan Vertonghen puts in a cross. Ezequiel Garay makes a clearance resulting in a corner.

16'        Marouane Fellaini from Belgium takes away the legs of Lionel Messi and it's a free kick.

15'        Eden Hazard from Belgium tries to send the ball into the area but his cross is blocked by an opponent. Kevin de Bruyne from Belgium swings in the corner.

14'       Kevin de Bruyne tries his luck from distance but fails to hit the target. Goal kick for Argentina.

13'        A shot by Ezequiel Lavezzi is blocked.

12'        Angel Di Maria from Argentina commits a foul on Kevin Mirallas but the referee is having none of it. Goal kick for Argentina.

Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain (R) kicks to score a goal past (L-R) Belgium's Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen and Daniel Van Buyten as during their quarter-finals match. Reuters

8'         G O O O A A A L - Gonzalo Higuain volleys the ball into the back of the net. Great instinctive strike by Higuain. Next level hip swivel. And like a great goal scorer, he hoped for the best as the play broke down.

6'         Marouane Fellaini from Belgium takes away the legs of Angel Di Maria and it's a free kick. A shot by Angel Di Maria is blocked.

5'         Belgium take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field. Goal kick for Argentina.

4'         Jose Maria Basanta puts in a cross. Axel Witsel relieves the pressure with a clearance. Angel Di Maria dribbles past his opponents. Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field. A shot by Angel Di Maria is blocked.

3'        Kevin de Bruyne puts in a cross. Lucas Biglia relieves the pressure with a clearance. Argentina start a counter attack. Lionel Messi from Argentina directs the ball behind the defence. Ezequiel Lavezzi from Argentina directs a ball squarely in the box, but it's intercepted by an opponent player. Argentina take a throw-in in the opponent's half of the field.

2'        Javier Mascherano from Argentina pulls down Axel Witsel. Vertonghen crosses the ball into the box from the free kick.

1'         Belgium kick-off the match. The pitch seems perfect for a competitive game.

Follow live commentary of the quarter-final clash between two-time World Cup champions Argentina and in-form Belgium at the Brasilia national stadium.

Lineups:

Argentina: 1-Sergio Romero; 4-Pablo Zabaleta, 15-Martin Demichelis, 2-Ezequiel Garay, 23-Jose Basanta; 6-Lucas Biglia, 14-Javier Mascherano; 22-Ezequiel Lavezzi, 10-Lionel Messi, 7-Angel Di Maria; 9-Gonzalo Higuain

Substitutes: 3-Hugo Campagnaro, 5-Fernando Gago, 8-Enzo Perez, 11-Maxi Rodriguez, 12-Agustin Orion, 13-Augusto Fernandez, 17-Federico Fernandez, 18-Rodrigo Palacio, 19-Ricky Alvarez, 20-Sergio Aguero, 21-Mariano Andujar

Belgium: 1-Thibaut Courtois; 2-Toby Alderweireld, 4-Vincent Kompany, 15-Daniel van Buyten, 5-Jan Vertonghen; 11-Kevin Mirallas, 6-Axel Witsel, 8-Marouane Fellaini; 10-Eden Hazard, 7-Kevin De Bruyne; 17-Divock Origi

Substitutes: 3-Thomas Vermaelen, 9-Romelu Lukaku, 12-Simon Mignolet, 13-Sammy Bossut, 14-Dries Mertens, 16-Steven Defour, 18-Nicolas Lombaerts, 19-Mousa Dembele, 20-Adnan Januzaj, 21-Anthony Vanden Borre, 22-Nacer Chadli, 23-Laurent Ciman

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Italy)

Argentina's players pose for pictures before their quarter-finals match against Belgium. Reuters

Belgium's players pose before their quarter-finals match against Argentina. Reuters

Argentina gave first starts to Lucas Biglia, Martin Demichelis and Jose Basanta for their World Cup quarter-final against Belgium and the Europeans stuck with Divock Origi in attack.

Centre back Demichelis replaced Federico Fernandez and Basanta took the place of suspended left back Marcos Rojo, who collected a second yellow card in the 1-0 extra time win over Switzerland in the last 16.

Biglia starts in midfield ahead of Fernando Gago.

Belgium made one change from the 2-1 extra time win over the United States in the previous round with attacking midfielder Kevin Mirallas starting ahead of Dries Mertens.

Striker Romelu Lukaku, who scored the crucial second against the US, again starts on the bench.

Estádio Nacional de Brasília. Courtesy: estadionacionaldebrasilia.com.br

Sergio Aguero was back among the substitutes for Argentina after the forward missed the Swiss win because of a leg muscle injury.

The South Americans, who have yet to hit top form in Brazil, will need to improve against the Europeans, who have confirmed their status as the tournament's dark horses with four successive wins.

The Argentines are bidding to reach the last four for the first time since 1990 and their supporters are wondering whether four-times world player of the year Lionel Messi can take them all the way, just as Diego Maradona did in 1986.